Local and General.

Waipukurau Press, Issue 4, 5 January 1906, Page 2

Local and General.

:O: It is announced that Miss Blom is prepared to undertake dressmaking and plain sewing at her residence. As advertiser lives some little distance out of the town, ladies requiring work doue may leave word at Mr J. A. Blom’s saddler’s shop. Applications for the position of Road Overseer and Roadman to the Waipukurau Town Board close at 5 p.m. on Monday next. The Town Board meets on Tuesday. Owing to the absence of the Road Board chairman, it is likely that the proposed conference between the two bodies will be postponed to a future date. Mr Annand’s new advertisement will appear in next issue. Over twenty-five thousand persons of New Zealand birth reside in the Australian Commonwealth. A million acres of forest are cut down every year to supply the European railway companies with the sleepers on ..which the lines are laid.

Says the Hawera Star: —Dairy farmers in the country are most optimistic with regard to the present season. “It is the best season we have had, and the best prices are ruling,” said one, and examination bears out the contention. A mild winter, a good spring, and a show r ery summer have left the pastures in splendid condition, and unless things get parched up the latter part of the summer a big record should be the result. “ Look at that; paddock,” is the constantly heard expression, and the pay sheets at the various factories attest the result. At Riverdale the supply is still keeping upto record, and the difference m the supply may be gauged from the fact that last year high level was reached in November and then rapidly declined. The price of cheese is good and likely to improve as the season continues. The big prices for butter will no doubt decline when Australia and Argentine supplies arrive. Yesterday there were 18 male and 6 female patients in Waipukurau hospital. A number have recently been discharged. A novel sight was witnessed in King William street, Adelaide, the other day. A queen been alighed on the bat of a ejeiist, and the whole swarm settled there and on his back. He waited for an hour until the swarm bad become calm, and then rode away with the intention of hiving them. The Presbyterian Church will hold a moonlight mission at the Hatuma school-room, ccmmencirg Monday. Local choir will assist. An interesting story depicting Maori gallantry has been related in regard to a solitary vote for Wi Pere at one polling booth in the Eastern Maori electorate. This vote is said to have been cast by Mr Ngata’s (the successful member) father, who, knowing that his son was to have a block vote, felt that, as a matter of respect for the retiring member, it should not be said that the old Parliamentarian had.no friend at all at Waiomatatini. This kindly spirit does not always enter into election contests.

Calendars are to hand from Mr W. H. Booth and Mr G. AY. L. M ackay. A smoke concert was tendered the other evening to Mr T. Court, railway inspector, who has been transferred to Christchurch. Mr Bogle, on behalf of the railway staff, presented Mr Court with a tea and coffee service. A number of complimentary remarks were made in the course of an evening pleasantly spent. A Lutheran minister in Pennsylvania, the Rev. Adam Stump, D.D., who has kept a precise record of his fifteen years’ ministry, states that he has married 576 couples, baptised 1858 babies and 135 adults, and preached 756 funeral sermons.

Mi’ E. Fee has retired from the railway service on superannuation.

The construction of the Mam Trunk railway is being steadily pushed ahead. At the central section at Ohakune five miles of track has been cleared of timber, and another five miles is being hewn under contract. A service road, that is being constructed northwards, finds work for 150. Preparations a-e now being made to start cuttings below Karioi. Four traction engines have been commissioned by the Works Department to carry material from Pipiriki, one line of which consists of three thousand barrels of cement. A stationmaster’s bouse is about to be erected at Rangatua, and this will be occupied by the engineer during the time the section is being constructed Workshops and storerooms are being fitted up at Ohakune. It is anticipated that by the autumn 300 men will be employed on the central section, and that number will be maintained until it is completed.

The death is announced of Mr Napier' Bell, the well-known civil engineer, aged 75.

We have received a memo, in reference to an alleged assault. As the matter is sub judice it cannot be dealt with at present.

xAt Auckland a woman received six months’ imprisonment for using obscene language. A couple of “ Lost ” notices are inserted to-day.

From a Hastings correspondent:—At the present time there are in and about the township of Hastings over twenty thousand pounds worth of buildings in the course of erection. Preparations for the fruit harvest at the Frimley Orchards are being made on a large scale. The crop of stone fruit will be a record one, and a large amount of labour will be required to gather the yield. The Elsthorpe Crown Settlement can to be the most prosperous one in this island. The roads all tbrouh the settlement are the best in any part of the district. The homesteads and surrounds are the picture of comfort; the garde!)s and orchards are well cultivated, and show an abundant yield; the paddocks are knee deep with splendid feed; the stock are fat. and every section has an ample supply of water. Some very fine bush is on the settlement. Apricot stones in California are worth about 30s per ton. These stones are called pits, and in San Francisco there are special machines for cracking them, when the kernels are extracted they are packed up and shipped to Germany, where prussic acid is extracted from them. One ton of fruit will will yield about 1251 b of- pits. Last season the Ventura district raised ten thousand tons of green apricot fruit, bo that it will be seen that the industry is of some value,